Governor Ahmed Aliyu has flagged off the free distribution of fertilizer and other farm inputs to farmers across the 23 Local Government Areas of Sokoto State, warning that anyone found diverting the commodity will face the full wrath of the law.

The Governor said the State Government has procured 157,800 bags of assorted fertilizers, equivalent to 263 truckloads of NPK and Urea fertilizers, worth N7,706,800,000 for distribution to farmers across the 23 Local Government Areas of the state.

According to him, each of the 23 Local Government Areas will receive six truckloads of fertilizer for free distribution to genuine farmers.

"When we came on board, we distributed fertilizer free of charge to our farmers on three occasions. However, we later discovered that the targeted farmers were not fully benefiting from the gesture due to the activities of middlemen. That informed our decision to sell the commodity at a subsidized rate last year," he said.

"We have now introduced measures to curb the activities of the unpatriotic individuals who denied genuine farmers access to the free fertilizer.

"If we succeed in eliminating these sharp practices, the fertilizer distribution programme will continue to be free for our farmers," the Governor added.

Governor Aliyu further disclosed that the State Government has also procured 12,800 bags of improved seeds, including Millet Super SOSAT, Hybrid Maize, Beans, Cowpea, Sorghum, and FARO 44 Rice, as well as herbicides and insecticides for distribution to farmers across the state.

As part of efforts to achieve full agricultural mechanization, the Governor said the administration has procured 250 units of MF-375 Massey Ferguson tractors at the cost of N22,125,938,207.50, with 75 percent of the contract sum already paid to the contractor.

"I'm happy to inform you that the contractor has already delivered 90 percent of the tractors. In addition to the 250 Massey Ferguson tractors procured by the State Government, the Federal Government, under the able leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has offered us the opportunity to acquire another 100 Belarus tractors through the Bank of Agriculture, with the state paying only 60 percent of the cost of each tractor and its implements," he added.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Committee for the Supervision of Fertilizer and Other Essential Commodities Distribution, Alhaji Chuso Abdullahi Dattijo, said the 2026 wet season fertilizer distribution programme reflects the practical commitment of the present administration to ensuring that genuine farmers have timely access to quality fertilizer through a transparent, accountable, and well-coordinated distribution system.

"It is a programme designed not only to distribute fertilizer but also to strengthen livelihoods, boost agricultural output, reduce the cost of food production, and improve the economic well-being of every household in Sokoto State," he said.

He urged farmers to make judicious use of the fertilizer, adopt improved farming practices, and continue to demonstrate the resilience and hard work for which Sokoto farmers are renowned.

In his remarks, the Sokoto State Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Tukur Alkali, commended the various interventions of the State Government aimed at supporting farmers and ensuring food sufficiency in the state and the country at large.

He also praised Governor Ahmed Aliyu for the construction of rural roads across the state, noting that the projects would significantly boost agricultural activities and attract investors.

Also speaking, the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Muhammad Sa'ad Abubakar III, commended Governor Aliyu for his farmer-friendly agricultural programmes aimed at improving harvest yields and enhancing food production.

On behalf of the 23 Local Government Chairmen, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Dadi Adare, commended Governor Ahmed Aliyu for procuring the fertilizer for free distribution to farmers across the state.

He assured the Governor that the local government chairmen would closely monitor the distribution process to ensure that the fertilizer reaches the intended beneficiaries.

The event was attended by the leader of the APC in Sokoto State, Distinguished Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, the Deputy Governor of Sokoto State, Idris Muhammad Gobir, the Deputy Speaker of the Sokoto State House of Assembly, Kabir Ibrahim Kware, the Chief Judge of Sokoto State, Justice Sa'idu Muhammad Sifawa, the Grand Kadi, Sodangi Shu'aibu Achida, the APC North-West Zonal Secretary, Isa Saddiq Achida, commissioners, special advisers, senior special assistants, permanent secretaries, directors-general, executive secretaries, traditional rulers, and other dignitaries.